The Form and Tonal Structure of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, Ii. “Adagio Cantabile”

To assign the first movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony the sonata form would truly be a subjective judgment. I will first explain how this movement fits thesonata form; then I will discuss how it diverges from this form in rather fascinating ways.

As noted by Robert Hughes, "Beethoven was not only the embodiment of all that was before him, but also of that which was yet to come" (Hughes 486). The truth of this may be seen by comparing Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor to Haydn, the father of Symphony, and his 95th in C Minor. While Haydn's symphony is both playful and dramatic, Beethoven's symphony is grander both in terms of scale and vision. He expands the size of the orchestra to incorporate the sounds swirling around, underlying, and depicting the arrival of Fate in a rhythm-driven, thematic symphony that takes Haydn's form and runs with it as though to the top of a mountain peak. This paper will analyze the symphonies by movement, according to form, size, structure, tonalities, melodies, orchestral sound and overall mood and effect.

In the second movement, the percussion section is more noticeable, especially at the beginning. This movement is also in D minor. The range of the melodic tune is dramatic. At times, I recognized the downbeat in three measures (da da da). This

8 in C minor, Op. 13 composed in 1798 focussing on musical features such as melody, thematic content, rhythm, form and structure and harmony. This sonata has been chosen for analysis as it is the most popular Beethoven sonata within the performance circuit, as it is a well known piece worldwide. Secondly, Beethoven developed Sonata form, adding more thematic contrast and contrasting melodies reflecting his own personal struggles with his progressive loss of hearing and also his failures in his love life which all contributed to the passion and despair that is depicted within the sonatas during his second compositional stage in his career.

Composers since the early classical era have used sonata form to express through music ideas which are at once complex and unified. This form contains a variety of themes and permutations of these themes, but is brought together into a comprehensible whole when these excerpts reappear. Beethoven, in the first movement of his Piano Sonata Opus 2 Number 3 utilizes this form to its full potential, modifying the typical structure in his characteristic way.

a)The "Beethoven Concerto"s and Op. 37's Placement in the Genre and as a continuation of Mozart's Style

Rondo Op.51 No.1 in C major by Beethoven • Rondo: a musical form characterized by a repeated theme that alternate with other themes • Opus: a number given chronologically order the works of a composer • This rondo was composed between 1796 and 1797. • About the composer and period: Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) • Period: Classical (1750-1820)/early Romantic (about 1820/30s-1910) • Nationality: German • Contemporaries: Haydn, Mozart, Clementi • Works included: • 32 piano sonatas (including the 'Pathetique'; the 'Moonlight'; the 'Appassionata'); bagatelles, 6 sonatinas • 9 symphonies - including the 'Eroica' (3rd); 'Pastoral' (6th); the 'Choral' (9th) • chamber music - including 9 piano trios, 5 cello and piano sonatas

Beethoven contributed one of the most significant musical developments through his fifth and ninth symphonies. He used a musical motive as the basic of his entire piece. (Beethoven described the motive as “Fate knocks at the door”.) It was the first time in history that anyone had done such a thing for a multi-movement piece. Beethoven’s contribution has become a norm in the music world, even to this day.

Then follows a scherzo with trio - Molto vivace - also in D minor. The scherzo itself is in sonata form with all parts repeated. The octave tuned drums immediately announcing the important role they play in the tonality of the movement as a whole. Then follows a hushed fugato, which serves an introductory purpose as the full force of the orchestra. Then follows a more harmonic path with the utmost vigor. The second subject in C major adds an unusual harmonic flavor. The trio has a quasi-pastoral flavor, The trio is played only once, although Beethoven fools us into believing we will here it once more at the end, like in the first movement but it abruptly ends.

Ludwig Van Beethoven was one of the most influential composers of his time. The decades around the 1800’s were years of many changes and Beethoven’s new approach to music was something that reflected that. “His symphonies, concertos, string quartets and piano sonatas are central to the repertory of classical music.” This essay will focus on the historical and theoretical aspects of the third movement of Sonata Op. 28 No. 15.

The early piano sonatas of Beethoven deserve special mention. Although his first published examples of concertos and trios and the first two symphonies are beneath the masterpieces of Mozart and Haydn, the piano sonatas bear an unmistakably Beethovian stamp: grandiose in scope and length, and innovative in their range of expression. The sonatas were able to move expression from terrible rage to peals of laughter to deep depression so suddenly. Capturing this unpredictable style in his music, a new freedom of expression which broke the bounds of Classical ideals, was to position Beethoven as a disturbed man in the minds of some of his contemporaries. Furthermore, he was to be seen as the father of Romanticism and the single most important innovator of music in the minds of those after him. (Bookspan 27).

This overture is perhaps of the most hard work written by Beethoven. It's hard not just to listen, but also to play. The first time you listen Fidelio might be a little bit confused and bored; however, after two or three times, you start to understand how complex and delicate this overture is. Every time I listen to Fidelio I notice something new, and how can I not listen to something new in a story of personal sacrifice, heroism and triumph?! Perhaps Beethoven wrote it in a way to make the listener image different stories told by different people every time they listen.

The Badinerie moves to the b minor region. The following movements, Air and Gavotte, excerpted from the Third Suite in D Major, are more tonally stable than the preceding ones because of their binary form and their major mode, they move most frequently to the D Major region. The beginning in the different key from that of the ending and the diverse explorations of the key regions provide various levels of polarities and are finally integrated in the last movement, along with their forms, The exploration of carious key regions and the defined levels of polarities of these regions in part A and ritornelli of the Overture are mitigated in the Rondeau-Badinerie, and the degree of polarities the least occurs in the Air and Gavotte. It can be explained with the contexts of their formal structures, the frequent changes of key regions occurred even in the episode of the Overture, which is supposed to be tonally stable in the tradition of ritornello form but became stable in the refrains of the Rondeau.

The 1st movement is in sonata form. The slow introduction to this symphony is unusual in that it begins in the subdominant key - E minor, solemnly introduced by the bassoons. It modulates into B minor and the tempo increases for the principal subject. This theme is elaborated and developed, and a march-like motif forms a bridge passage leading to a climax. The strings then introduce an amorous, song-like second subject in D major. The development section enters with a bang. This section brings no startling thematic growth or transformation, but is

The Highlights of the piece are its opening ensemble "Herr, unser Herrscher ..." ("Lord, our lord, ...") There is a symphonic inflection of 36 bars before the touchy passageway of the chorale. Each of these bars is a solitary worry of lower tones, debilitating till the finish of the bar. These bass beats are joined by the rest of the instruments of higher tunes, by legato singing the planned topic. The last six bars of the instrumental introduction deliver a hearty crescendo, touching base to yelling specialty beginning three bars of the chorale, where the tune joins to the long arrangement of deep stresses by Herr, Herr, Herr. Before long, after the primary part of the topic, comes the triple Herr, Herr, Herr once more, however this time, toward the finish of the bars, as a contra respond in due order regarding the relating